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THE First Newspaper published 
west of Buffalo was started as a 
DETROIT , , . ,, Q^^ 

^^eekly paper ni the year 1017. 
GAZETTE, , „ ^ H H ^.. , . . . ^ 

In 1819 there was published in the Ga- 
zette a short history of the territory under the title of 
Historical Memoranda of the Territory of Michigan, in serial 
form, beginning May 21, 1819, and continuing through several 
succeeding numbers. 

The following pages contain a reprint of this little history. 

The chief value of the article lies in the fact that it was 
written shortly after the conclusion of the War of 1812, and 
it relates the details of the surrender of Detroit as only could 
be narrated by one who was an eye-witness or a participant 
in that inglorious event. 

As the work has never before been printed in book form, it 
can be considered a rarity well worth preserving, and, as such, 
I commend it to your notice. 

C. M. BURTON. 
Detroit, Oct. 30, 1904. 



'U^ 



V ^ - 



Historical Memoranda 

OF THE 

Territory of Michigan. 



i 



T"^ HE earliest period at which, from authentic 
-■- data, we are able to fix the first settle- 

ment of any importance by white people 
in this territory is the year 1683^; ^t this 
period the French Government in Can- 
ada, in pursuance of their policy of gain- 
ing an ascendancy over the Indian tribes, 
thereby to secure to themselves the benefits of the 
fur trade, to the exclusion of the colonies of New 
York and New England, as well as the alliance of 
the Indians in their wars with these colonies, had 
extended their settlements to Detroit and Michili- 
mackinac. From this period, merged in the history 
of Canada, and possessing no individuality of char- 
acter, it remained under a colonial military govern- 
ment until after the capitulation of Quebec, in the 
year 1759, and of Montreal in the year 1760, when 
Detroit and Michilimackinac were surrendered by 
the governor of Canada to his Britannic majesty, 

(i) This part of the country (Detroit) was; visited by white men 
as early as 1649, and there were a number of Jesuit missions estab- 
lished m the neighborhood, but not exactly at ih^ location of Detroit, 
as early as 1655. The post of Detroit was founded' by Antoine de La 
Mothe Cadillac July 24, 1701. 



and were immediately garrisoned by English 
troops. - 

The civil chief magistracy of the country was 
then vested in a military commandant, under the 
governor of Canada. 

Although Great Britain, by the success of her 
arms, had obtained the whole of the French posses- 
sions in Canada, the Indians within its limits were 
by no means satisfied with the change — they still 
retained that predilection for the French which it 
had been the policy of that government and of the 
Jesuit priests to inspire. Consequently, in 1763, a 
confederation of the Hurons, Miamis, Chippewas, 
Ottawas, Pottawatomies and the Messaugies, with, 
perhaps, some other tribes, was formed to act 
against the British posts. The Indians, under the 
command of Pontiac, a celebrated chief of the Mi- 
amis, surprised and took Michilimackinac by one of 
those stratagems which so peculiarly distinguish the 
savage character, but, contrary to the custom of the 
Indians, few, if any, lives were taken on this occa- 
sion, and the garrison and traders were sent to Mon- 
treal. 

Emboldened by this success, Pontiac with his 
army proceeded to Detroit, in force about 3,000 
strong. Having succeeded so well in his former strat- 
agem, he determined to capture Detroit by sim- 
ilar means. He approached the town under pre- 
tense of trade, and, "to brighten the chain of Peace," 
proposed a council. He selected a number of the 
most daring of his followers to accompany him to 
the fort, in which the pretended council was to be 



(2) Detroit was ^ ^surrendered bv the last French commandant. 
Picote de P>elestre\- 'to the New England scout and ranger, Major 
Robert Rogers, in the fall of 1760. 



held, having sawed off their guns sufficiently short 
to be concealed under their blankets. It was ar- 
ranged that at a given signal they were to fire upon 
the officers, let in their companions, and commence 
a general massacre. The execution of this daring 
plan was, however, prevented by an Indian woman, 
who communicated it to Major Gladwin, the com- 
manding officer. The Indians went to the council 
according to the plan preconcerted, but from the 
disposition made by the commanding officer to re- 
ceive them they were diverted from attempting to 
execute their design, and the commanding officer, 
having openly charged them with their treachery, 
permitted them to retire unmolested. Ungrateful 
for this ill-judged magnanimity, they soon after in- 
vested the place, and a siege was continued, w^th 
occasional skirmishes, for more than a year. 

Of these skirmishes, the most disastrous to the 
British was the defeat of Captain Dalyell, at a place 
since called Bloody Bridge, about two miles above 
Detroit. The party of Captain Dalyell consisted of 
200, of which a great proportion, including himself, 
fell victims to the savages. Thus reduced, it was 
with great difficulty the commanding officer con- 
tinued to maintain the place until he was relieved 
by a British schooner, with a reinforcement and 
supplies. This vessel had narrowly escaped cap- 
ture, having been attacked and boarded by a large 
number of Indians, Avho surrounded her in canoes 
opposite the head of an island, since called Fighting 
Island. Her escape from capture was owing to 
some one on board calling out to set fire to the mag- 
azine ; this having been communicated to the Indians 



by a Frenchman of their party, they left the vessel 
with precipitation. 

Soon after this the Indians raised the siege and 
separated. 

A short time after this period, difficulties be- 
tween Great Britain and her colonies began to arise, 
and led to the war which broke out in 1775. Dur- 
ing this struggle, and before its commencement, 
strong appeals had been made to the people of Can- 
ada by the other colonies to induce them to join in 
the cause of liberty, but without effect. This is 
probably to be accounted for in the difference of 
their relative laws and government. The people of 
the colonies, particularly of New England, having 
fled from oppression in the old world, were, from 
their first emigration into the new, particularly jeal- 
ous of civil liberty, and could not but be disposed 
to resist with indignation any attempt to tax them 
without their consent. On the contrary, Canada 
from its first colonization appears to have been gov- 
erned by a military commandant — hence, the people 
knew little of the benefits, and relished still less the- 
trouble, of self-government. 

From the commencement to the close of the rev- 
olutionary war, little of interest is presented to the 
notice of the historian. Remote from the scenes of 
action, and separated by an immense wilderness, 
the people of this territory had probably little direct 
agency in the affairs of the revolutionary war, and 
from its close, in 1782,^ the British continued to hold 
the territory, together with several posts on the 
American side of the lakes, until 1796, when, in pur- 
suance of Jay's treaty, this country was delivered 

(3) Hostilities ceased under the preliminary treaty of peace in 17S2, 
but the final treaty was not signed until a year later. 



up to the United States. But previous to this, wars 
had been carried on with the Indian tribes with 
various success, during which occurred the defeat 
of Colonel Crawford, at Upper Sandusky, in 1789*; 
of General Harmar, on the Scioto, in 1791, and of 
General St. Clair, in the latter part of the same year,"^ 
near Fort Jefferson. 

The Indians, emboldened by these frequent ad- 
vantages, began to increase their depredations and 
incursions upon the frontier settlements on the Ohio, 
and began to assume so serious an aspect that Con- 
gress raised a force of five thousand men, and Gen- 
eral Wayne was appointed commander-in-chief, in 
room of St. Clair, who had resigned. While prep- 
arations were making, attempts at negotiation were 
renewed, and Colonel Harden and Major Freeman 
were sent into the Indian country with proposals 
for peace ; they failed, and both were inhumanly 
murdered by the Indians. At length, on the 8th of 
August, 1794, General Wayne with his army 
reached the confluence of the Miami and Auglaize, 
where he halted and threw up some works of de- 
fense, being about thirty miles from the British post 
on the Miami of the lakes, in the vicinity of which 
the Indians were collected to the number of about 
2,000. The legion commanded by Wayne was at 
this time of about equal force, exclusive of 1,100 
mounted men from Kentucky, under General Scott. 
From the 14th to the 20th of August, General 
Wayne cautiously advanced down the Miami, and 
on the latter day a general and decisive action took 



(4) Col. William Crawford was captured by the Indians and burned 
to death June ii, 1782. 

(5I Gen. Harmar was defeated near the villages of the Mianiis Oct. 
19 and 22, 1790, and Gen. St. Clair was defeated Nov. 4, 1791. 



place. The Indians were posted behind trees, and 
the General directed his legion to advance with 
trailed arms, and with their bayonets to drive the 
enemy from their shelter, and then deliver their fire. 
So rapid was the charge and so 'entirely were the 
enemy broken, that in the course of one hour they 
were driven more than two miles. The General pur- 
sued them, burnt their houses, and laid waste their 
cornfields within pistol shot of the British fort. The 
victory had so decisive an effect that General Wayne 
was enabled to conclude a treaty with the hostile 
Indians at Greenville, on the 3d of August, 1795, 
and soon after the posts of Detroit and Michilimack- 
inac** were delivered to the Americans. 

Immediately after the surrender of these posts, 
in 1796, this territory fell under the government and 
formed a part of the territory northwest of the Ohio. 
After the admission of Ohio into the Union as an 
independent State, this territory and Indiana be- 
came the North-AVestern Territory," until they were 
separated and formed two distinct territories, in 
1805, this by the name and title of the Territory of 
Michigan, over which AVilliam Hull was appointed 
governor, and Detroit became the seat of govern- 
ment. 

Nothing of importance occurs in the history of 
this territory until after the commencement of the 
war with Great Britain, in June, 181 2. General Hull 
having been appointed a brigadier-general in May, 
left the City of Washington for Detroit, with orders 
from the War Department anticipating the declara- 
tion of war. He was clothed with discretionarv 



(6) Now called Mackinac. 

(7) Called Indiana Territory. The name "North West Territory" 
ceased on the admission of Ohio in 1802. 



powers to commence operations in Canada as soon 
as the declaration of war should reach him, if, in 
his opinion, his force would warrant him. On his 
route through Ohio he was joined by three regi- 
ments, who had enrolled themselves under the 
proclamation of the President; they were com- 
manded by Colonels AlcArthur, Cass and Finlay. 
On his arrival with his army at the Miami of the 
Lake, he dispatched his hospital stores and the bag- 
gage of the officers on board a schooner for Detroit, 
but the enemy having had information of the declar- 
ation of war, the vessel with the property was cap- 
tured at Maiden.^ 

On the 1 2th of July, General Hull having made 
the preliminary preparations passed over into Can- 
ada, and established his headquarters at Sandwich, 
and on the same day issued his famous proclama- 
tion, in which he announced his force to be the van- 
guard of a much greater, and invited the Canadians 
to join his standard, or remain quiet, assuring them 
of protection. At this time the enemy's force at 
Maiden was very diminutive and their works of de- 
fense in a weak and unfinished state. Had General 
Hull advanced immediately upon Maiden, it is be- 
lieved he would have met with very little opposi- 
tion ; on the contrary, by his vacillating policy and 
the petit guerre which he carried on, so little com- 
porting with the high ground he had taken in his 
proclamation, and so far short of the prompt and de- 
cisive movements which were expected from so re- 
spectable a force, that the enemy, after their first 
alarm had subsided, besfan to gfather confidence. 



C8) This little boat was called the Cuyahoga. 



which, as the character of General Hull was grad- 
ually developed, continued to increase. 

The army lay inactive from the I2th of July to 
the 8th of August, nothing having been attempted 
but to send out small detachmeiits to reconnoitre 
the enemy and secure the passage of the bridge aux 
Canard, a few miles above Maiden on the road to 
that place. On one of these expeditions, com- 
manded by Colonel Cass, the guard at the bridge 
were surprised, and with difficulty effected their re- 
treat. The capture of the bridge secured a passage 
to Maiden. Nothing, however, seems to have been 
further from the mind of the General than to have 
availed himself of this opportunity of advancing, 
and he appeared to be waiting for a plausible pre- 
text to retreat back to Detroit ; and a pretext was 
not long wanted. Lieutenant Hanks," a brave and 
intelligent offi<:er, had been entrusted with the com- 
mand of Michilimackinac, but, owing to the unpar- 
donable negligence or treachery of those whose duty 
it was to have forwarded the information, was not, 
until the 9th of July, informed that the United 
States were at war with England; and was then 
only informed of it by finding himself closely in- 
vested by a body of British regulars, Canadian mi- 
litia and Indians, amounting to 1,000 men, under 
Captain Roberts, who had seized on an eminence 
and erected a battery in the night, which would have 
completely raked the parade ground within the fort. 
Under such circumstances, he found himself com- 
pelled to capitulate, and the garrison, amounting to 
57, including officers, surrendered prisoners of war. 



(g) Lieut. Porter Hanks was killed on the morning of Aug. i6, 1812, 
by the bursting of a shell in the Fort at Detroit just before the sur- 
render. 



On the 8th of August, General Hull determined 
to return to Detroit. When this was announced to 
the army it was received with universal surprise and 
disgust. The volunteers who had so early enrolled 
themselves under the banner of their country from 
motives of purest patriotism — who had left their 
homes (many of them of ease and affluence) to en- 
counter the toils and privations of a long and tedi- 
ous march through a wilderness country, supported 
by the hope that they should immediately be led 
to meet the enemies of their country, could scarcely 
restrain their indignant feelings within the limits of 
subordination. 

Soon after General Hull entered Canada he re- 
ceived information of the near approach of a quan- 
tity of provisions under the escort of Captain 
Brush, ^*^ of Ohio, and that a number of Indians had 
crossed from Maiden with a design of cutting off 
the escort. On this he detached Major Vanhorn 
with 200 men to protect the convoy. This detach- 
ment was surprised near Brownstown, and having 
received a severe fire, in which fifteen were killed, 
retreated back to Detroit. Intelligence of this dis- 
aster having been communicated to the General, he 
immediately detached Lieutenant-Colonel Miller, of 
the Fourth Regiment, with 600 men, consisting of 
regular infantry, one company of artillery and a 
detachment of Ohio and Michigan volunteers, with 
orders to proceed to the River Raisin and meet the 
provisions and troops, and open communication to 
Detroit. 

On the 9th of August, about the middle of the 
afternoon, a few miles above Brownstown, Colonel 

(10) Capt. Henry Brush was a cousin of Elijah Brush, then a prom- 
inent citizen of Detroit and an officer in the militia. 



Miller encountered a large force of British and In- 
dians, who had posted themselves securely behind 
a thicket of woods and a breastwork of logs. Cap- 
tain Snelling, who commanded the vanguard, re- 
ceived the first fire of the enemy, and, though his 
command suffered severely, they maintained their 
ground until supported by Colonel Miller with his 
whole force. The Colonel having formed his line, 
advanced to within a few paces of the enemy, gave 
his fire and then charged with the bayonet; the en- 
emy gave ground and fled to Brownstown, keeping 
up a fire on their retreat, but they were pursued 
until night put an end to the action. The British 
regular force was about 400, their whole force about 
1,000. Colonel Miller was compelled to forego the 
advantages resulting from this victory, in conse- 
quence of his being destitute of provisions, which 
General Hull had assured him would be forwarded 
after and overtake him on his march, but which was 
neglected, and he returned to Detroit. 

A few days after this Colonels McArthur and 
Cass were detached on different routes to meet the 
troops at the River Raisin, which consisted of the 
companies commanded b}^ Captain Brush and Cap- 
tain Rowland, a part of Captain Campbell's com- 
pany of volunteers, commanded by Lieutenant Day, 
a small detachment of Colonel Cass' regiment un- 
der Lieutenant Davidson, which had been left at a 
block house at Miami, and a few regular soldiers of 
the Fourth Regiment, in all about 250. These troops, 
with all the ardor which distinguished the times, 
were burning with impatience to join General Hull's 
army, and only waited his orders to advance and at- 
tempt a passage through. 



10 



At length, on the 15th of August, the enemy, con- 
sisting of regulars, Canadians and Indians, amount- 
ing to about 1,000 men, under the command of Gen- 
eral Brock, commenced movements which indicated 
an intention to cross the strait opposite Springwells. 
At this time General Hull was urged to plant a bat- 
tery at that commanding eminence, which, from its 
advantageous situation, would, had it been well sup- 
ported with infantry, have cut the enemy to pieces 
before they could have made good their landing. 
This course, the propriety of which was so obvious 
to all, was unaccountably neglected by the General, 
as some vainly persuaded themselves, with a design 
to let the enemy place themselves more effectually 
in his power; for, even after the enemy had, unop- 
posed, effected their landing, they must have been 
either captured or destroyed had General Hull per- 
mitted his troops to have fought, for, whilst Gen- 
eral Brock was marching his column along the road 
to Detroit, which was narrow, the river running on 
his right and a line of palisade fence on the left, 
several field pieces, charged with grape and can- 
ister, were placed in a position to have completely 
enfiladed his column in front. The men were ready 
at the guns with their matches burning, and eagerly 
waiting the signal to fire ; at the same moment the 
infantry were out under arms, and could in a mo- 
ment have wheeled to attack them in flank, whilst 
the detachment of Colonel Cass, then on its return, 
would have assailed them in rear. Under such cir- 
cumstances, it is rational to suppose that nothing 
less than a miracle could have saved the British 
army from capture or destruction. At such a mo- 
ment, when the arm of the patriot was nerved for 



contest, when the enemy which he had so long and 
so eagerl)- sought was before him, under circum- 
stances so favorable, and he exulted in the hope of 
a proud triumph for his country, with what agon- 
ized sensations did ,he behold a white fiag flying over 
the Star-Spangled Banner. The General, as Colonel 
Cass observed in his letter to the War Department, 
must have taken counsel of his own feelings alone, 
as no one anticipated a surrender : even the women 
were indignant at so shameful a degradation of the 
American character. The volunteers were paroled 
and sent to their homes, and the regulars were sent 
to Quebec. 

The General in his articles of capitulation in- 
cluded the troops and public property at River 
Raisin, and Captain Elliot was despatched with an 
escort of Indians to that place, bearing a copy of 
the articles of capitulation. As soon as information 
was communicated to that garrison that a British 
officer, accompanied by Indians and bearing a flag, 
was approaching, a short council was held, the result 
of which was a conviction in the minds of the offi- 
cers that it was a stratagem on the part of the In- 
dians to capture the garrison and get possession of 
the supplies designed for General Hull. It was be- 
lieved th-at the Indians were hovering round in force 
to take advantage of circumstances, and it was not 
thought advisable to suffer the flag to approach the 
place. Captain Rowland, therefore, volunteered with 
a small detachment to meet them some distance 
from the garrison. On approaching. Captain Elliot, 
the bearer of the flag presented the articles of 
capitulation. The circumstances appeared so im- 
probable that Captain Rowdand was the more con- 



firmed in his first impressions that it was a strata- 
gem. He therefore disarmed the party, and blind- 
folded and conducted them into the fort. In the 
evening of the same day, which was the 17th, some 
stragglers of our army, who had escaped from De- 
troit, arrived and brought a full confirmation of the 
painful and disgraceful fact. The same night a coun- 
cil was held, in which it was determined immedi- 
ately to commence a retreat to the State of Ohio, 
which, after encountering innumerable difficulties, 
was safely effected. 

On hearing the news of the surrender of Detroit, 
the States of Kentucky and Ohio and the western 
parts of the States of Virginia and Pennsylvania 
flew to arms. A considerable force was collected 
at Urbana, under General Tupper, and in September 
a brigade of Pennsylvania and one of Virginia mi- 
litia were on the march to join General Harrison, 
who had been appointed a major general, and was 
at Piqua, preparing to march an army to recover 
the country which had been surrendered. Owing 
to the delays which attended the transportation of 
cannon from Pittsburg (in the fall of the season and 
over newly cut roads), it was the latter part of De- 
cember before General Harrison was able to concen- 
trate the right division of his army at Upper San- 
dusky. The left division, consisting of the Ken- 
tucky militia and a few regulars, under the com- 
mand of General Winchester, having learned that 
there was a quantity of forage at the River Raisin, 
of which the army, owing to the remoteness of their 
depots and the difficulties of transportation, were 
greatly in want, detached Colonel Lewis on the i8th 
of January, who attacked and defeated a body of 



Indians at that place. On the next day the General, 
with the greater part of his division, which nnited 
amounted to about i,ooo men, moved on to the 
River Raisin, where he encamped until the 22d. Tn 
the interim he was informed that a large body of 
British and Indians were advancing from Malden^^ 
and Detroit to attack him. It does not, however, 
appear that the General placed any reliance on this 
information, as no measures were taken to fortify 
his camp or otherwise guard against such an event. 
His army was encamped in a line parallel with the 
river, which ran a short distance in his rear. His 
left, under the command of Major Madison, Avas 
posted behind a fence of palisades. His right wing 
w^as unprotected, it would seem, from choice, as the 
same protection was accessible to it as the left had 
obtained. At the dawn of day on the 226. the left 
wing was attacked. The troops of this wing being 
in a great measure protected from small arms, 
fought with confidence, and gave their fire with de- 
liberation and effect, insomuch that the enemy suf- 
fered severely. The}^ made several charges, and 
were as often foiled and driven back with loss, and 
it was with the greatest difficulty the officers of the 
enemy could induce their men to keep their ground. 
At length they drew off from the left wing and con- 
centrated their whole force upon the right, which, 
being unprotected, soon gave w^ay. It is said that 
an order was given by the General to retreat, with a 
vicAv of taking a position under the protection of the 
bank, in rear. The result, however, was most disas- 
trous, for the savages, Avho until this moment had 
kept aloof, noAv pressed upon their retiring steps 

(11") The fort at Amlierstlmrg: was called Fort ^Falden. 

u 



with hideous yells and all the terrific accompani- 
ments of savage war. Under such circumstances, 
the utmost exertions of the officers to rally the men 
were in vain. Then commenced a scene the most 
shocking to humanity, and which beggars all de- 
scription. The savages having kept a little aloof 
with a view to separate them the more effectually 
from their companions on the left, and not too sud- 
denly to check their hopes of safety in flight, now 
gradually closed in upon them, and deliberately 
commenced the work of slaughter. So effectually 
did this plan succeed that, of the whole number who 
attempted it, not more than three or four made good 
their retreat to the Rapids. The left wing still kept 
their ground and maintained the action, although 
by the destruction of the right the enemy were en- 
abled to turn their flank and rear. 

In this critical situation, having been summoned 
repeatedly to surrender, at length, at the solicita- 
tion of General Winchester, who had been captured, 
Major Madison consented to capitulate, on condition 
of being protected from the savages, of retaining 
their private property, and the officers their side 
arms. On these terms this ill-fated division, amount- 
ing to four hundred and fifty, surrendered to the 
enemy. General Proctor, on being reminded by Gen- 
eral Winchester of his engagements, reiterated his 
assurance that the wounded should the next day be 
carefully conveyed in sleighs to Maiden. So ill' did 
he keep his faith that on the next day the wounded 
who were unable to walk were inhumanly butchered 
in cold blood by the savages. Amongst the number 
was Captain Hart, a man highly esteemed as an offi- 
cer and a gentleman. 

15 



General Harrison, soon after this disaster, deter- 
mined to fortify and take up his winter quarters and 
await reinforcements. On the ist of May the enemy 
made an attack, upon his position, which was con- 
tinued until the 5th, when General" Harrison was in- 
formed of the near approach of General Clay with 
reinforcements of Kentucky militia of 1,200 men. 
He sent orders to General Clay to detach 800 of his 
men to storm the enemy's batteries on the opposite 
side and spike the cannon. This service was perform- 
ed with great gallantry ; but, not content with doing- 
all they were ordered to do, they pursued the re- 
treating enemy until they were led into an ambus- 
cade, and the whole detachment except 150 men 
were killed or taken. At the same time a sortie was 
made by Colonel Miller against a battery that had 
been erected near the Fort on the same side of the 
river, Avhich from its commanding situation greatly 
annoyed the troops. Colonel Miller succeeded in 
driving the enemy from their battery, spiked their 
cannon and returned with 42 prisoners. 

In August General Harrison, having been rein- 
forced by the 26th, 27th and 28th Regiments, which 
in the course of the summer had been raised in Ohio 
and Kentucky, was encamped at Seneca, waiting 
the operations on Lake Erie. 

On the loth of September the American fleet 
found the enemy's, gave battle, and by the gallantry 
of Commodore Perry and the oflicers and men of 
his fleet a signal victory was obtained. 

On the 23d of September, 1813, General Harri- 
son landed his army near Maiden, which he found 
evacuated by the enemy and their fort and shipyard 
and other public buildings consumed. General 

t6 



Proctor, with such of the inhabitants and Indians as 
still adhered to him, retreated towards York by the 
route of the River Thames. Owing to the con- 
tractor having no means of transportation, few pro- 
visions could be obtained, and General Harrison, 
that he might be unencumbered with baggage, 
which, in consequence of the deficiency of trans- 
ports, would have delayed the landing of the troops, 
had directed the tents and knapsacks to be left at 
Put-in-Bay, so that the troops were not only nearly 
destitute of provisions, but entirely so of camp 
equipage. Under these circumstances, a question 
arose on the expediency of pursuing the enemy, par- 
ticularly wdien to those difficulties was added the 
improbability, if not impossibility, of overtaking 
Proctor, who had left Sandwich on the 26th of Sep- 
tember. But the zeal of the troops overcame all 
these difficulties, and on the 26. of October General 
Harrison took up his line of march in pursuit of 
the enemy, and on the 5th overtook, routed and cap- 
tured them near the Moravian town. Before the 
fate of the day was decided General Proctor with 
his stafif effected their retreat. 

In this action fell the celebrated chief, Tecum- 
seh. He is represented to have been no less distin- 
guished for his humanity and generosity than for 
his bravery and devotedness to the cause he had es- 
poused. Though identified with the savages by 
birth and education, and through life our most de- 
termined enemy, yet the brave man will hail him 
as a brother, and shed the tear of sympathy for his 
fate. Six hundred British regulars were taken in 
this action, and all their baggage and camp equip- 
age. General Harrison soon after returned to De- 



troit. The result of this campaign was that all the 
territory surrendered in 1812 was recovered, except 
the post of Michilimackinac. 

General Harrison having entered into treaties 
with the neighboring tribes of Indians who came 
forward and made their submissions, moved with 
a part of his army to the Niagara frontier, and the 
command of this division was given to General Cass. 
The barracks which had been burned by the enemy 
were partially rebuilt, and Alalden was occupied by 
a detachment of United States troops. During the 
succeeding winter little of moment occurred in 
the quarter. A violent epidemic disease prevail- 
ed among the troops, and no hostile "operations 
were carried on against the enemy, except oc- 
casional reconnoitering parties, the most con- 
siderable of Avhich was a detachment of 300 men 
under Major Holmes, who penetrated to within 
a short distance of Oxford. He was attacked in his 
encampment, which he had secured by a temporary 
breastw^ork, by a superior force of British regulars 
and Canadian militia. Major Holmes obtained a de- 
cisive victor}^: the regulars w^ere nearly all killed 
or wounded ; one officer Avas taken, and near fifty 
men left dead on the ground, while the loss of Major 
Holmes was only one killed and two wounded. This 
affair occurred on the 4th of March, at a place called 
Stony Creek. 

In the month of July, 1814, an expedition was 
planned and fitted out to Michilimackinac, the com- 
mand of which was given to Lieutenant-Colonel 
Croghan, who had distinguished himself by his gal- 
lant defense of Fort Stephenson, or Sandusky, in 
1813. The naval force Avas commanded by Capt. 

t8 



Sinclair. In this affair Colonel Croghan did not 
support the reputation he had previously acquired. 
Instead of sailing directly to the island "of Michili- 
mackinac, and thereby surprising the enemy before 
he had time to strengthen himself by fortifying and 
collecting the Indians from the mainland, the fleet 
showed itself some days before the island, and sent 
an expedition up the Sault of St. Mary's. 

In the meantime Colonel McDowell, the British 
commandant, was vigorously employed in preparing 
to receive an attack. It is likewise thought that Col- 
onel Croghan's plan of attack, and particularly the 
place selected to make his landing, were injudicious- 
ly chosen ; for, by landing on the back part of the 
island he had several miles to traverse, over a rocky, 
rough country, with a thick growth of brushwood, 
which, being filled with Indians, could from their 
concealment kill his men at their leisure without ex- 
posing themselves. It would have been morally im- 
possible (as it turned out) for him to have reached 
the fort; and, could he have effected this, he would 
in all probability have been so crippled and his men 
so disheartened as to have extinguished all desire 
for storming the works. On the contrary, it is be- 
lieved that had he sailed directly to the island, and 
eff'ected a landing under the guns of the fort, his 
loss would not have exceeded the actual loss sus- 
tained in the partial encounter with the Indians, in 
which nothing was gained but mortification and dis- 
appointment. In this affair fell :\Iajor Holmes, Cap- 
tain Vanhorn and Lieutenant Jackson, all highly re- 
spectable and esteemed officers. Major Holmes 
added to a courage which no danger could dampen, 
a fund of talents and skill in his profession which. 



iQ 



had he lived to pursue the career which he had com- 
menced, would have shed a lustre upon his name, 
and rendered signal service to his country. 

Soon after this period, commenced the civil gov- 
ernment of this territory, which had in a great de- 
gree been suspended from 1812, and General Cass 
was appointed Governor. The return of peace, in 
181 5, was joyfully hailed by the people of Michigan, 
who had been long harassed and disturbed by a sav- 
age border war with all its frightful concomitants, 
during which the inhabitants of the territory, al- 
though many of them were strangers to our lan- 
guage, laws and government, have borne every spe- 
cies of privation and distress that savage malice 
could suggest. True to the country of their adop- 
tion, they have been prodigal of their blood and 
treasure in defense of its injured rights, alike heed- 
less of the appalling alarms of plunder, conflagra- 
tion and death, as deaf to the insidious arts of their 
neighbors in Canada, they have evinced throughout 
the trying ordeal a constancy and fortitude in every 
varying change highly creditable to them as patri- 
otic citizens, and equally honorable to them as sol- 
diers. 



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